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PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE

Introduction

Mark 14:21

Judas is a prime example of a professing believer who thought only of his own plans, and missed the reason for Christ’s coming in the first place.

For three years he followed the Lord with the other disciples.

He appeared to be one of them. Presumably he thought of himself as a believer, at least at the outset.

It is doubtful he joined up with Christ's band with the intention of turning against him.

Somewhere along the line he became greedy, but that could hardly have been his motive in the beginning; Jesus and the disciples never had anything of material value (Matthew 8:20).

Apparently Judas initially shared the hope of Christ's kingdom, and he likely believed that Jesus was the Messiah.

After all, he also had left everything to follow the Lord.

Yet, while the others were growing, Judas was quietly becoming a vile, calculating tool of Satan.

Whatever his character seemed to be at the beginning, his faith was not real (John 13:10-11).

He was unregenerated, and his heart gradually hardened so that he became the treacherous man who sold the Saviour for a fistful of coins.

In the end, he was so prepared to do Satan's bidding that the devil himself possessed Judas

(John 13:27).

I.    JUDAS HAD A NAME.

            Judas means praise of God.    Iscariot means a citizen or man of Kerioth.

Kerioth was a town in Judah.

The people of this area were staunchly Jewish.

The rest of the apostles were from Galilee and though they were Israelites they had a different attitude.

            He had a name that said he belonged to Christ. (Luke 6:13-16)

Peter said in Acts 1:17–“For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.”

            He was numbered with those who were genuine, but he was a phony!

            A.   He Was A Disciple Of Christ.

                        He was already a follower of Jesus when we first meet him.

                        1.   He Was Interested In Jesus.

                                    That is more than can be said about a lot of people in our country today.

                        2.   He Wanted To Be With Jesus, And Learn From Him.

We have some people who have made a profession of faith and some have even been baptized that don’t seem to want to do that.

                        He Was A Disciple Of Christ.

            B.  He Was An Apostle Of Christ. (Matthew 10:1-8)

                        In fact, he was specially chosen by the Lord Jesus.

                        Only thirteen men in all of history have had that privilege!

                        He was ordained to be the Apostle Judas Iscariot!

            C.   He Was Empowered By Christ.

                        1.   He Was Empowered To Preach.

                        2.   He Was Empowered To Heal Sick People.

                        3.   He Was Empowered To Cleanse Lepers.

                        4.   He Was Empowered To Even Raise The Dead.

                        5.   He Was Empowered To Cast Out Devils.

If Judas did not have these abilities as did all the other apostles, he would have stuck out like a sore thumb!

            D.  He Was Accepted By The Other Apostles.

                        He fit in with this group of mis-fits.

We don’t have any indication at all that the other disciples even so much as had a clue that Judas was the one who would betray Jesus until Jesus gave him the sop at the Passover Supper.

            JUDAS HAD A NAME THAT SAID HE BELONGED TO CHRIST.

II.       JUDAS WAS AN EYEWITNESS.

            He was in the presence of Christ on many occasions over about a three year period.

            A.        He Was Where The Action Was Going On.

                         1.         Judas Was Called By Jesus To Be With Jesus.

                        2.         Judas Was Baptized.

                        3.         Judas Heard The Teachings Of Jesus.

                        4.         Judas Observed The Miracles Of Jesus.

                        5.         Judas Observed The Life Of Christ.

                        6.         Judas Was A Witness To The Mighty Power Of God.

                        7.         Judas Was A Friend To The Lord Jesus.

Psalm 41:9–“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”

John 13:18b–“He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.”

And yet, after all of his close experience with the Saviour, Judas betrayed Jesus to a cruel death for thirty pieces of silver (the price of a slave under the Mosaic law).

            B.        A Person Can Be In The Presence Of Jesus Without Being In Him.

Matthew 18:20–“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

                        On the outside, Judas was everything that Peter, and John the Beloved were!

                        1.         A person can be called by Christ without being in Him.

                        2.         A person can be baptized in His name without being in Him.

                        3.         A person can hear the teachings of Jesus without being in Him.

                        4.         A person can observe the miracles of Jesus without being in Him.

                        5.         A person can observe the life of Christ working in others without being in Him.

                        6.         A person can be a witness of the mighty power of God without being in Him.

                        7.         A person can think himself or herself a friend of Jesus without being in Him.

                         Faith is a funny thing isn’t it – because, seeing is not always believing!

            JUDAS HAD A NAME THAT SAID HE BELONGED TO CHRIST.

            JUDAS WAS AN EYEWITNESS.

III.   JUDAS WAS A COUNTERFEIT. (Matthew 13:24-30)

            He was a counterfeit – a tare that looked a lot like wheat!

            He was only a follower, but not born again!

            Judas looked, smelled, sounded, and acted like a Christian.

He was clean on the outside, as were many of the Pharisees, but on the inside, he was filthy and wicked (John 13:10,11). The most dangerous kind of person, is the murderer that you can’t detect, or wouldn’t expect to be one! (Exp.– Ted Bundy the serial killer)

None of the miracles, none of the words of our Lord Jesus, none of the love of the Lord Jesus for him made any difference in the life of Judas Iscariot.

His heart still held on to this world.He never let Jesus really change him.

            When it counted, he thought only of himself

IV.      JUDAS WAS A THIEF. (John 12:1-6)

Thievery was a crime punishable by death. It was and is a wicked crime.

            The two other men on the crosses next to Jesus were THIEVES!?

Judas may have thought that his thievery (stealing a few coins out of the bag) wouldn’t matter in the big picture.

We live in a wicked day where shoplifting, and thievery is prevalent!

Have you noticed how many places that you go that have to have security guards, security cameras and other anti-theft devices?

            Billions of dollars worth of money and merchandise are stolen from stores every year.

No doubt many thieves think it doesn’t matter and that what they steal won’t be missed!

            The Bible warns against the love of money.

1 Timothy 6:9-10–“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

            Why did Jesus choose Judas, if he was of such character (John 6:70,71)?

            JUDAS HAD A NAME THAT SAID HE BELONGED TO CHRIST.

            JUDAS WAS AN EYEWITNESS.

            JUDAS WAS A COUNTERFEIT.

            JUDAS WAS A THIEF.

V.  JUDAS WAS A BETRAYER. (Zechariah 11:12,13)

What is a betrayer? To betray means to give away to the enemy; hand over or expose to the power of the enemy by treachery or disloyalty.

It means to be unfaithful to; let down. (Exp. We speak of someone having betrayed her friends by breaking her promise.)

It means to give away (as in giving away a secret entrusted to one). (Exp. to betray a friend's confidence.)

            Violation of trust or confidence.

            A.        Why Did Judas Betray Jesus? What was his motive? We don’t know for sure.

                        1.   He may have saw it as a fast source of income – quick return on effort

                        2.   He may have believed that Jesus would never allow Himself to be condemned

                        3.   He may have thought that Jesus would just pass between them as He had done so several times before.

                         4.   He may have believed that the Pharisees’ plan would fail, and Pilate would have to release Jesus.

                        5.   He may have thought everything would just return back to normal afterward, but only with himself richer! 

            B.        Why Did The Pharisees Need A Betrayer?

                        1.         They knew they couldn’t capture Jesus out in the open – everybody would have rioted against them.

                        2.   They needed someone close to Jesus, to lead them TO Him, when everything was right for Him to be captured without a struggle.

             C.        How Judas Betrayed Jesus (Matthew 26:1-4; 14-25; 30-50)

                        1.   It was not by surprise – Jesus was BORN to die, and knew it all along.

                        2.   At the right time – when it was Christ’s time of choosing.

                        3.   When the other disciples were not suspecting it (Matthew 26:22)

                        4.         He betrayed him with a kiss– a gesture of love and affection.

            JUDAS HAD A NAME THAT SAID HE BELONGED TO CHRIST.

            JUDAS WAS AN EYEWITNESS.

            JUDAS WAS A COUNTERFEIT.

            JUDAS WAS A THIEF.

JUDAS WAS A BETRAYER. (Zechariah 11:12,13)

VI.     JUDAS WAS LOST. (Matthew 26:24)

            A. He Never Really Listened To Jesus, Or Believed ON Him In His Heart.

Judas believed IN Jesus – just as every demon of hell does!

Judas just wanted the earthly kingdom of God – instead of the kingdom of the Romans ruling over them

He did not want the King though – Jesus made it imperative that the kingdom had to come through HIM, and His death on the cross, not through some great battle on the battlefield.

            B.        Judas Received Warning From Christ To No Avail. (Matthew 26:20-25)

Many a lost Church member has received warning after warning from Christ, but to no avail.

            C.        Judas Allowed Satan To Have Control Of His Life Rather Than Christ.

                        John 6:70–“Have not I chosen you and one of you is a devil.”

                        Luke 22:3–“Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot. . .”

John 13:2–“. . .the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him.”

                        Are you rejecting Christ’s right to control your life?

            D.        Judas Died A Tragic Death. (Matthew 27:3ff)

Judas tried to pay for his sin by taking his own life, but only the death of Jesus Christ can pay for anyone’s sin.

                        Anyone who dies without Christ dies a tragic death.

                        Anyone who goes to hell, goes there needlessly.

Conclusion

It is not what we are called, but rather what we are that is important.

A person can be known as a Christian or a disciple and yet still be lost.

A person can even do good things in the name of Christ and still be lost.

Are you the real thing or counterfeit? The preacher may not know, those around you may not know, but God knows.

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD